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Version 1 Version 2
Gareth Huntley: Malaysian government says everything possible will be done Gareth Huntley: Malaysian government says everything possible will be done
(about 9 hours later)
The search for a Briton who has been missing in the Malaysian jungle for almost a week was stepped up on Sunday as fears grow for his safety. The search for a Briton who has been missing in the Malaysian jungle for almost a week was stepped up on Sunday as fears grew for his safety.
Gareth Huntley, from London, has not been seen since he went on what was intended as a short trek to a waterfall on the Malaysian island of Tioman on Tuesday. Gareth Huntley, 34, from London, has not been seen since he went on what was intended as a short trek to a waterfall on the island of Tioman on Tuesday. His family had been critical of the efforts to find him but, after an intervention from the defence secretary, Philip Hammond, who is visiting Malaysia, Huntley's brother Mark said they were "hugely grateful" for the ongoing search efforts.
His family have been critical of the efforts to find him but, after an intervention from the defence secretary, Philip Hammond, who is visiting Malaysia, Huntley's brother Mark said they were "hugely grateful" for the ongoing search efforts. "The FCO [Foreign and Commonwealth Office] have told us they have a good relationship with the authorities and will escalate the issue quickly," he said. "We're hugely grateful to David Cameron and Mr Hammond for their response and their assurances to support the local police with professional searchers who can ensure that GPS mapping and real coordination is available."
"The FCO have told us they have a good relationship with the authorities and will escalate the issue quickly," he said. "We're hugely grateful to David Cameron and Mr Hammond for their response and their assurances to support the local police with professional searchers who can ensure that GPS mapping and real coordination is available." Huntley had gone to Malaysia as a volunteer for the Juara Turtle Project. His family fear he may have fallen and broken his leg or been bitten by a snake in the jungle on the island south-east of the mainland. His mother, Janet Southwell, from Bradford, wrote an open letter to Cameron asking him to contact the Malaysian leader, Najib Razak, about the case. "As a father, you know that we'd do anything for our children and so I'm humbly asking that you make one phone call to help my missing son, Gareth. Please do the right thing, prime minister, and make one phone call to the Malaysian leader to insist that they deploy real help to find Gareth before time runs out. He is out there in the jungle and he needs help."
Huntley had gone to Malaysia as a charity volunteer for the Juara Turtle Project. He had set off to see a waterfall in the jungle when he went missing and his family fears he may have fallen and broken his leg or been bitten by a snake on the island south-east of the mainland. Huntley's girlfriend, Kit Natariga, arrived on the island on Sunday and posted a message on Facebook: "Every glance into the jungle I'm reminded he's out there on his own for the sixth day … It makes me anxious and I feel so helpless. The Malaysian and British governments are being more proactive but the reality is he's still out there. Vulnerable, hungry, thirsty, tired, scared, alone and running out of time. Absolutely crucial to act fast and continue to push the authorities and rescue teams."
His mother, Janet Southwell, from Bradford, wrote an open letter to Mr Cameron asking him to contact the Malaysian leader about the case. "As a father, you know that we'd do anything for our children and so I'm humbly asking that you make one phone call to help my missing son, Gareth. Please do the right thing, prime minister, and make one phone call to the Malaysian leader to insist that they deploy real help to find Gareth before time runs out. He is out there in the jungle and he needs help." Natariga said efforts to find Huntley were a tonic to the anxiety, but admitted time to find him was running out. She told Sky News: "It's really tough coming on to the island. We're in a bit of a helpless state. We cannot give up … time is running out."
Huntley's girlfriend, Kit Nataringa, arrived on the island on Sunday and posted a message on Facebook: "Every glance into the jungle I'm reminded he's out there on his own for the 6th day … It makes me anxious and I feel so helpless. The Malaysian and British governments are being more proactive but the reality is he's still out there. Vulnerable, hungry, thirsty, tired, scared, alone and running out of time. Absolutely crucial to act fast and continue to push the authorities and rescue teams." Natariga had previously called on British troops with specialist jungle training to join the search from a base in Brunei. But a ministry of defence spokeswoman said it had no plans to give direct support to the search.
Nataringa had previously called on British troops with specialist jungle training to join the search from a base in Brunei. But a spokeswoman for the ministry of defence said it had no plans to give direct support to the search. A spokesman for the FCO said Hammond had been assured that the Malaysian authorities would do everything possible to find Huntley."The defence secretary … was assured that the Malaysian authorities would do all they could to locate him and had already deployed significant assets including dogs, boats and a helicopter. The government will continue to work with the Malaysian authorities to ensure there is a comprehensive search."
A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said that Hammond had been assured that the Malaysian authorities would do everything possible to find Huntley.
"The defence secretary … was assured that the Malaysian authorities would do all they could to locate him and had already deployed significant assets including dogs, boats and a helicopter. The government will continue to work with the Malaysian authorities to ensure there is a comprehensive search."